Gobi Achar / Cauliflower Pickle

                   How about making a pickle at home all by yourself. The recipe which I am sharing needs a very few ingredients which are always at your place. No extraordinary ingredients needed. & the best part of this pickle its home made so no added preservatives to it unlike the store bought ones. Also its prepared in just 5 - 10 minutes time. So what are we waiting for ?? Lets get started with the recipe.

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower cut into very small florets - 1 cup
• Red Chili Powder 1 tbsp.
• Salt to taste
• Lemon juice 1 & 1/2 tsp
• Oil 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
• Asafetida a pinch

Method:

• Add salt, red chili powder & lemon juice to cauliflower florets. Set aside.
• Heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add asafetida. Switch off heat. Let this tadka cool down completely. Later add it to the cauliflower.
• Home made Achar is ready !
• Refrigerate the achar for 4 hours.

Tips:

• Don't add hot tadka to the cauliflower. The achar tends to become bitter then. Let the tadka cool down completely before you add it to the cauliflower.
• You can also add Carrots to this pickle.

 

Red Chili Garlic Chutney

  
              People always complain that home made Chaats doesn't taste like the ones we get on the streets. It because of the red chili garlic Chutney. We always make only 2 chutneys for Chaats - Mint Chutney & Tamarind Chutney. We miss on preparing Red Chili Garlic Chutney. Make this chutney while preparing Chaats. & Enjoy the same taste of Chaats we find on the thelas.

              Its very simple below is its recipe.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• Red Chilies 10 - 12
• Garlic Cloves 3-4 small
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp Roasted Cumin seeds powder
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice

Method:

• Soak red chilies in water overnight.
• Remove the seeds from red chilies.
• Grind the red chilies with garlic & water enough for grinding.
• Add cumin seeds powder, salt to taste & lemon juice to it. Mix well.
• Enjoy !!

Related Recipes:

• Green Chutney for Chaats
• Tamarind Chutney
• Jaljeera
• Kothimbir Vadi
• Pizza Coins
• Healthy Red Veg Cutlets
• Garlic Toast
• Masala Papad
• Dahi Vada

 

Tamarind Chutney

                Tamarind Chutney !!! One of the most important item essential for Chaats !!! Check out my simple recipe for the same.

Ingredients:

• Tamarind 2 tbsp
• Jaggery 1 tbsp.
• Water 1/2 cup

Method:

• Soak Tamarind in hot water for 1 hour.
• Squeeze tamarind with your fingers to extract its juice.
• Strain the tamarind water in a bowl. Discard the remaining.
• Add grated jaggery to the strained tamarind water. Stir well until jiggery dissolves.
• Tamarind chutney is ready.

Related Recipes:

• Green Chutney for Chaats
• Curd Dip for Tikkis / Cutlets
• Coconut Chutney for Idlis
• Mirchi cha Thecha
• Instant Home made Pizza Sauce
• Khasta Kachori
• Healthy & Nutritious Dahi Sev Puri
• Aloo Tikki Chaat
• Katori Chaat
• Fresh Home made Banana Chips

Cabbage Salad

             I am sure there are very few people who like Cabbage. I don't like it personally. Not even my husband. So here is my trick to add cabbage to our menu. I make cabbage salad. It is very tasty, & healthy. This is how we have it. Just try it. Am sure you will also like it.

            Cabbage is a very good source of vitamin C. Infact it is a richer source of vitamin C than oranges. It is also a good source of Vitamin K, B6 & folate. Cabbage is very helpful in treating ulcers, certain cancers, depression, immune system boosting, and fight against cough and cold.
            
             Below is my recipe for cabbage salad. Ready under 5 minutes !!

Preparation Time: 5 minutes


Ingredients:

• 1 cup White cabbage - Chopped in fine Juliens
• 1/2 cup Red Cabbage - Chopped in fine Juliens
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp Lemon juice  (or to taste)
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper coarse powder 
• 1 tsp Dried mint leaves powder

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
• Serve immediately as a side dish.

Tips:

• Serve immediately or else it will become soggy.

Related Recipes:

• Fresh Home made Banana Chips
• Garlicky Potato Wedges
• Chicken Stir Fried Noodles
• Stuffed Eggs
• Shrikhand
• Fruit Cream
• Vermiceli Kheer
• Home made Mawa
• Buttermilk
• Watermelon Pomegranate Salad
• Cucumber Raita
• Brown Onions for Biryani
• Coconut Chutney for Idlis
• Curd Dip
• Masala Papad

 

Coriander - Mint Chutney for Chaats

              Green Chutney is one of the key ingredients for any chaat. One can use it for any chaats like bhel, sev puri, dahi puri, ragda patties, samosa chaat, raj kachori, etc. It can also be used for sandwiches. This is a very simple one.
 
               Check the recipe below.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coriander leaves
• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• 2 cloves of Garlic (Optional)
• Salt to taste
• Green chilies 2
• Lemon Juice 1 tsp
• Water as needed

Method:

• Grind all the above ingredients together except water.
• Add water for grinding as needed.
• Adjust its consistency as desired.
• This chutney stays good for 1 week in refrigerator.
• Add 1 tsp Curd for Bright green Color of the Chutney.

Related Recipes:

• Watermelon Pomegranate Salad
• Curd Dip
• Fresh Home made Long Banana Chips
• Instant Home made Pizza Sauce
• Coconut Chutney for Idlis
• Jaljeera
• Baingan Raita
• Cucumber Raita
• Masala Papad
• Home made Ghee
• Buttermilk

Kothimbir Vadi

           Kothimbir Vadi is a very popular traditional Maharashtrian dish. You can find it in Maharastrian weddings.
        
          You can have it as a tea time snack or as a side dish during your lunch / dinner. Just enjoy it the way you like.
 
          It is made using Coriander leaves, gram flour & some spices. Here is my version of preparing Kothimbir Vadis.

Ingredients:

• Coriander leaves 1 bunch
• Gram Flour 1 & 1/2 cup
• Rice Flour 2 tbsp
• Roasted Peanut powder 1/3 cup
• Crushed ginger-garlic-chili paste 1 tsp 
• Mustard seeds 1 tsp
• Oil 1 tbsp
• Asafetida 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Water

Method:

• Clean, wash & Chop coriander leaves roughly. Set aside.
• Heat a pan.
• Add oil to it.
• Now add mustard seeds. When they pop, add asafetida, turmeric, ginger-garlic-green chili paste. Sauté.
• Add roughly chopped coriander leaves, gram flour, rice flour, salt to taste, roasted peanut powder. Stir well. Add water around 2 & 1/2 cups. Stir well.
• Cook till all moisture is evaporated & the mixture becomes thick.
• Remove the mixture in a square tray. Set the mixture well in it. Grease your hands with oil so that the mixture doesn't stick to your hands.
• Leave it to rest for 15 minutes or until the mixture cools down.
• With a butter knife cut into square shape slices. After every cut, dip the butter knife in cold water, so the mixture wont stick to the knife & spoil the shape.
• Now shallow fry each slice until golden in color.

Tips:

• Cooking the mixture wont take more than 5 minutes.
• Cook the mixture on low - medium flame.
• As stated earlier while cutting the slices (vadis), dip butter knife in cold water so that it doesn't stick to the knife & the shape is not spoiled.
• You can even deep fry the vadis. But I tried to make it less oily by shallow frying.

Related Recipes:

• Pizza Coins
• Khasta Kachori
• Healthy Red Veg Cutlets
• Veg Sizzlers - My Style
• Masala Dosa
• Moong Dal Vade
• Chicken Kheema Kebab
• Garlicky Mushrooms
• Quick Microwave Khandvi
• Besan ka Chilla / Tomato Omlette

 

Cheesy Garlic Bread with a twist

             I am sure everyone is a fan of garlic bread. But have you ever tried this type of garlic bread ? If you try this style of garlic bread, you will definitely forget the regular garlic bread. & you wont believe but it is not at all difficult.

            Just make this for your dinner or kitty parties. It will be like a centre piece for your dining table. Everyone will just go "wow" over this. Kids also go crazy for it. Just try it once & share your experience with me in the comments section below. Your experience will be worth sharing. So come on try it now !! Below is a pictorial representation.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 20 - 25 minutes


Ingredients:

• Any big bread with crunchy crust (I used Pistolet)
• Garlic 3 medium chopped finely
• Butter 2 tbsp
• Salt a pinch
• Cheese grated
• Oregano

Method:

• Preheat oven to 200 degree Celsius.
• In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter for around 30 seconds. Add to it finely chopped garlic, salt & 1 tsp dry oregano. Place in microwave again for 10 seconds. Mix.
• Take any big bread with crunchy crust. I used pistolet.
• Now cut the bread with a knife to get diamond shapes but don't cut the bread all the way through to the bottom. (You don't want pieces of bread, just some cuts over the bread. Refer the pictures below).
• Now with the help of spoon, put the garlic butter in between all cuts of the bread.
• Also put some cheese in between all cuts of the bread.
• Now wrap it in aluminum foil. & bake for 15 minutes.
• Unwrap it & bake again for 5 to 10 minutes until all cheese is melted.
• Serve immediately !!

Take any bread with crispy crust



With a knife give cuts as shown but not all the way through...
just cut 2/3rd of the the bread

 

Now as shown give cuts like this to form diamond shapes..
but again same don't cut the bread all the way through...
just cut 2/3rd of the bread

 

As seen the bread is not cut fully to the bottom..



Diamond shapes will be formed as shown in the pic

Melt butter in microwave for 30 seconds..
Add finely chopped garlic, pinch of salt & dried oregano & mix. 

Fill the butter garlic mixture in the cuts of the bread.
Then fill the cuts with cheese. As shown

 

 

Wrap it in aluminium foil & bake for 15 mins in preheated oven at 200 degree C.
Unwrap it & bake for 5 to 10 minutes until cheese melts. Serve immediately !!

Tips:

• Use preferably mozzarella cheese.
• You can also use fresh parsley instead of dry oregano.
• You can sprinkle some red chili flakes over the top of bread. But its optional & upto you.
• If you are health conscious, but still want to enjoy it, skip cheese in this recipe. It still tastes amazing.

Related Recipes:

• Garlic Toast
• Veg Sizzlers
• Instant Kharvas
• Strawberry Panna Cotta
• Veg Pulao
• Tiramisu